DET takes a large sample of data
parsed to a required input
standard.det format, and creates an editable 3-dimensional model of
the locations and thickness of interstellar clouds towards individual
stars or objects listed in standard.det. The input standard.det file is created
by supplementary Perl software, or by hand-editing, which parses input
data to the required specifications, subject to constraints, while
retaining uncertainties.

The DET tool consists of several
Perl scripts and one C-based OpenGL
tool to interactively edit data presented standard.det format. The
DET tool allows the user to create self-consistent models of cloud
distances based on any cloud property, edit that model, and compare
the cloud properties and locations with multispectral ISM data
contained in background 2D texture maps. In principle, the DET tool can
be applied
to modeling any 3D distribution of astronomical objects, such as
modeling the locations of intergalactic clouds. New background texture
maps can be added by the user. Information can be plotted in a
rectangular l,b grid (galactic coordinates), or displayed by
the software in planar, spherical, or aitoff coordinate systems.